In Sorte Diaboli
Encyclopedia
In Sorte Diaboli is Norwegian
symphonic black metal
band Dimmu Borgir
's eighth studio album
, released in 2007. It is the band's first concept album
. A site on the Nuclear Blast
website was created for In Sorte Diaboli, in which a new promotional photo can be seen and an audio sample can be heard. This would be the last album by Dimmu Borgir to feature ICS Vortex and Mustis before both band members were fired in 2009.
, with a story located in medieval Europe
. It is about a priest who begins to doubt his faith, and then ends up taking the place of the Antichrist
. "There's this dude that works as a priest's assistant, and after a while he just discovers that he has nothing to do with Christianity
," Silenoz
says. "He just sort of has this awakening and realizes that he has different abilities and different powers and is leaning more to the dark side." The words "In Sorte Diaboli" are a repeated line in the song "The Chosen Legacy" and the words also appears towards the end of the song, "The Sinister Awakening". The conclusion of the story in the booklet implies that the story of In Sorte Diaboli is not yet finished, possibly hinting that Dimmu Borgir's next studio album will continue this concept. Additionally, the "Making of In Sorte Diaboli" Special feature, Silenoz
says that the concept of this album will continue into the next five albums, finishing a six part series. However, this does not seem to be the case, as the next album, Abrahadabra, is heavily influenced by Aleister Crowley
's Thelema text The Book of the Law
. IGN named the album the Top Metal Album of 2007.
networks and on the popular videosharing site YouTube
(Nuclear Blast later removed the songs from the site). Since press worldwide were supplied with individual download accounts for the music on the Nuclear Blast
website instead of regular promotional CDs, the source of the leak was rapidly found. The journalist who was found responsible, Luca Pessina, is a writer for the Metalitalia webzine and also news editor for the Italian
version of Metal Hammer
, and were forced to face legal procedures from Nuclear Blast
. The leaked files contained Pessina's personal watermark
.http://www.live4metal.com/news.htm
Pessina was eventually found innocent. This is the final statement from Nuclear Blast about this matter:
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal is a black metal subgenre that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The genre is known for its symphonic and orchestral elements and is centralized in Europe.-Characteristics:...
band Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir...
's eighth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, released in 2007. It is the band's first concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
. A site on the Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
website was created for In Sorte Diaboli, in which a new promotional photo can be seen and an audio sample can be heard. This would be the last album by Dimmu Borgir to feature ICS Vortex and Mustis before both band members were fired in 2009.
Concept
In Sorte Diaboli is the band's first concept albumConcept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, with a story located in medieval Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is about a priest who begins to doubt his faith, and then ends up taking the place of the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
. "There's this dude that works as a priest's assistant, and after a while he just discovers that he has nothing to do with Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
," Silenoz
Silenoz
Silenoz , is a Norwegian guitarist who is a founding member, along with Shagrath and Tjodalv, of the Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir which he is the primary songwriter...
says. "He just sort of has this awakening and realizes that he has different abilities and different powers and is leaning more to the dark side." The words "In Sorte Diaboli" are a repeated line in the song "The Chosen Legacy" and the words also appears towards the end of the song, "The Sinister Awakening". The conclusion of the story in the booklet implies that the story of In Sorte Diaboli is not yet finished, possibly hinting that Dimmu Borgir's next studio album will continue this concept. Additionally, the "Making of In Sorte Diaboli" Special feature, Silenoz
Silenoz
Silenoz , is a Norwegian guitarist who is a founding member, along with Shagrath and Tjodalv, of the Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir which he is the primary songwriter...
says that the concept of this album will continue into the next five albums, finishing a six part series. However, this does not seem to be the case, as the next album, Abrahadabra, is heavily influenced by Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
's Thelema text The Book of the Law
The Book of the Law
Liber AL vel Legis is the central sacred text of Thelema, written by Aleister Crowley in Cairo, Egypt in the year 1904. Its full title is Liber AL vel Legis, sub figura CCXX, as delivered by XCIII=418 to DCLXVI, and it is commonly referred to as The Book of the Law.Liber AL vel Legis contains three...
. IGN named the album the Top Metal Album of 2007.
Leak
On March 6, 2007, In Sorte Diaboli leaked onto the internet and is currently circulating on several peer-to-peerPeer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
networks and on the popular videosharing site YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
(Nuclear Blast later removed the songs from the site). Since press worldwide were supplied with individual download accounts for the music on the Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
website instead of regular promotional CDs, the source of the leak was rapidly found. The journalist who was found responsible, Luca Pessina, is a writer for the Metalitalia webzine and also news editor for the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
version of Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
, and were forced to face legal procedures from Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
. The leaked files contained Pessina's personal watermark
Digital watermarking
Digital watermarking is the process of embedding information into a digital signal which may be used to verify its authenticity or the identity of its owners, in the same manner as paper bearing a watermark for visible identification. In digital watermarking, the signal may be audio, pictures, or...
.http://www.live4metal.com/news.htm
Pessina was eventually found innocent. This is the final statement from Nuclear Blast about this matter:
Reception
Track listing
Personnel
- ShagrathShagrathShagrath is a Norwegian musician best known as the vocalist of Dimmu Borgir.-Biography:Stian Thoresen was born on November 18, 1976 in Jessheim, outside of Oslo, Norway....
– lead vocals - SilenozSilenozSilenoz , is a Norwegian guitarist who is a founding member, along with Shagrath and Tjodalv, of the Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir which he is the primary songwriter...
– rhythm guitar, liner story - GalderGalderGalder is a Norwegian composer, guitarist, and vocalist whose birth name is Tom Rune Andersen. He is from the small town Jessheim, north of Oslo. He is a founding member of the melodic black metal band Old Man's Child as well as the lead guitarist in Dimmu Borgir. In 1993, under the stage name...
– lead guitar - MustisMustisMustis, the pseudonym of Øyvind Johan Mustaparta, born 10 September 1979, who is a Norwegian keyboardist best known for his work in the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. Mustis joined Dimmu Borgir in 1998 and contributed to their atmosphere with his melodic keyboard parts...
– synthesizers - I.C.S. VortexICS VortexSimen Hestnæs , also known as I.C.S. Vortex, or just simply Vortex, is a Norwegian musician, best known as the current vocalist of the avant-garde metal band Arcturus, the current vocalist and bass guitarist to the progressive black metal band Borknagar, and the former bass guitarist and backing...
– bass, clean vocals on tracks 1, 5 & 10 - HellhammerJan Axel BlombergJan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg is a three time Spellemannprisen award-winning heavy metal drummer. He is most well known for his drumming with the band Mayhem, with which he began his career...
– drums
Technical
- Fredrik NordströmFredrik NordströmBjörn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
- MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Patrik J. Sten - assistant engineering
- Joachim LuetkeJoachim LuetkeJoachim Luetke is a renowned cross-media artist. He is mostly known for his artworks for bands such as Arch Enemy, Dimmu Borgir, Kreator, Marilyn Manson, and Meshuggah. His 'dark' art has also been published in book form and compared to that of H. R...
- cover concept and artwork - Patric UllaeusPatric UllaeusPatric Ullaeus is an award winning director, photographer and artist. He is the founder of Revolver Film Company which is based in Sweden.-Videography:2011Patric Ullaeus is an award winning director, photographer and artist...
- photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
Special editions
- The album was specially released in a limited edition digipakDigipakDigipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company.-Features:...
that contains a bonus DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, 32-page booklet, and mirrored lyrics. The European limited digipak and the mail order leather-bound book editions come with a plastic mirror with which one can properly read the lyrics. The North American limited edition does not contain this mirror. The DVD contains the video clip for "The Serpentine Offering", two short "making of" documentaries for both the album and the video, a photogallery, and a media player.- The limited-edition EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an digipak features the bonus track "The Ancestral Fever" as the fourth track. - The limited-edition North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n digipak features the bonus track "The Heretic Hammer" as the sixth track. - The limited-edition JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese digipak features the bonus track "Black Metal", a cover of the classic VenomVenom (band)Venom are an English heavy metal band that formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal —are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general...
track, as the tenth track.
- The limited-edition Europe
- A very limited exclusive mail order edition, which features a leather booklet, was also released. This version also contains the two bonus tracks from the North American and European digipak versions.
- The vinyl edition is a gatefoldGatefoldA gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
LP packaged with a bonus 7", which also contains both the European and the North American Bonus track, and is limited to 2000 copies worldwide. - The artwork is censored by a slipcase cover in North America.
Chart and sales performance
In their native Norway, the album peaked at number 1, which marks the first time in history of a black metal band reaching the number 1 spot. The album sold approximately 14,000 copies in its first week. The album also sold well in Sweden, Finland, Austria and Switzerland.| Region | Chart (2007) |
Peak Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|
Dimmu Borgir is the first Norwegian band to break the U.S. Top 50 since a-ha A-ha A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar... . |
| Billboard Top Independent Albums | |
||
| Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
|
||
| UK United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
Banned | In Sorte Diaboli was disqualified twice by The Official UK Charts Company The Official UK Charts Company The Official Charts Company , previously called the Chart Information Network and then The Official UK Charts Company, compiles various "official" UK record charts, including the UK Singles Chart, the UK Albums Chart, and the UK Official Download Chart, as well as genre-specific and music video... . The first disqualification was for the inclusion of a mirror inside the Digipack; the second was because the album included a flyer promoting a "meet the band" competition. |
External links
- Official In Sorte Diaboli page at NuclearBlast.com